"I don't understand. Naraku is supposed to be dead!" Kagome yelled. "Not entirely. He made a wish on the jewel before he died. He wished you an eternity in the jewel with him. Just like Midoriko and the demons before you. This is your destiny. To spend eternity in the jewel fighting Naraku forever."

Kagome gasped. She looked at the jewel. "If I make a wish….I can leave here? I can be out of the darkness?" she asked. "Yes, but it has to be the correct wish Kagome."

Inuyasha looked frantically through the meido. He looked at the demons. "Don't you understand hanyou? This was this girl's destiny. She is destined to stay here and fight Naraku for eternity. This is why she was born. She was born to spend an eternity in the jewel forever!" They laughed.

"That's a lie! That wasn't why Kagome was born! Kagome was born for another reason!" he yelled as he cut down demon after demon.

'Kagome taught me how to smile, how to trust. It's because of her that I have friends. Relying on my companions, shedding tears for others, true strength and kindness….Kagome has taught them all to me! She was born to meet me. And I was born for her And I will be damned if anyone takes her away from me again!'

"Kagome, wherever you are, don't make a wish! Please wait for me! I'm coming for you!" he yelled. Kagome looked at the jewel, tears filling her eyes. 'I don't know what to do. I want to get out of here. I want to see my family again. I want to see Inuyasha.'

Inuyasha floated through the meido, cutting every demon that stood in his way. "Kagome! Kagome talk to me. KAGOME!" Kagome gasped. It was just for a moment. But she heard him. She heard Inuyasha say her name. He was here. He was coming for her.

…

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo all sat where the well used to be. They were worried about Inuyasha and Kagome. "Could it be that Kagome returned to her time on the other side of the well?" asked Shippo.

"Something tells me that the jewel had other ideas. Maybe it's time for Kagome to try and make the right wish on the jewel." Sango looked at her fiance.

"What is the right wish?" she asked. Miroku looked at her. "I don't know Sango. But we have to have faith in both Kagome and Inuyasha." Sango nodded and looked back at the spot.

Inuyasha continued to look for Kagome. "Just hope that she can make the right wish on the jewel or she will be stuck here forever. Forever entwined with Naraku." said the demons. Inuyasha growled and cut them down.

"So you aren't going to make a wish?" the jewel asked. Kagome looked down. "You are going to choose eternal solitude and darkness forever?" Tears filled Kagome's eyes. She didn't know what to do.

She wanted to go back to her family. She wanted to go back to Inuyasha. But she wasn't sure what wish she should pick.

"Kagome! Kagome, can you hear me!?" begged Inuyasha. Kagome opened her eyes. She opened her mouth. "Shikon jewel…"

"Kagome! Please tell me that you can hear me! Snap out of it Kagome! Kagome!" he cried, looking for her. Kagome snapped out of it and gasped. "Inuyasha?" she called.

"Inuyasha, can you hear me? Where are you!?" She called. Inuyasha looked around. "I'm here! I'm coming for you! So, please! Don't make any wishes before I get there!" he begged. Kagome nodded and backed away from the jewel.

"Do you want to see Inuyasha? You can make the wish to see him again. You can choose the man you love, Kagome. You can wish that you can see him so you won't be alone forever. Think about it, Kagome." Tears filled her eyes.

'Grandpa once said that there was only one correct wish. I know what it is. I know Inuyasha will come for me. I just have to be patient.'

"I have made my choice. I have no wish for you right now." The jewel started to pulsate. "I know Inuyasha will come for me no matter what. I believe in Inuyasha. And you aren't going to tempt me with something I really want."

Suddenly Kagome and Inuyasha were face to face. "Kagome." he said, relief on his face. "Inuyasha." tears filled her eyes. They hugged tightly and they kissed. 'This isn't an illusion This is real. This is my Inuyasha.'

'Kagome….' They separated and they looked at the jewel. "Shikon Jewel, I am ready for my wish." It pulsated and gave off a powerful aura and light. 'Thanks to Inuyasha, my mind is clear. I'm no longer scared and alone. I can make the correct wish.'

"Shikon Jewel, disappear! Forever!" she yelled. A gold light appeared and all the demons and Midoriko disappeared. The shikon Jewel was destroyed. No more fighting.

THREE YEARS LATER

Inuyasha looked at the sky with sadness. He missed her so much. He wanted nothing more than to see her again. He hadn't seen her in three years. And in those three years he was more alone than ever. He wanted to hold her in his arms.

He wanted that future that they tried to talk about. Being able to see her throughout her school years and vacations. And when she was done with school he was going to ask her to stay with him in this era. And be his forever.

He didn't even get to say goodbye to her. He will never see her again. He used to jump down the well every three days just to see that he could cross over just to see her one more time. Just to see her one more time. Take in her features. Her sweet scent.

Inuyasha reached into his haori and pulled out the gold pendant that she had given to him so long ago. "Might as well keep these pictures of us together." She had put it around his neck. "Promise that you'll never take it off."

Secretly Inuyasha never did. He had kept it under his haori all this time. He would open it sometimes just so he could look at her face. He looked at the sky sadly.

…..

Kagome stood with her family, holding her diploma. "Congrats Kagome, we are so proud of you." said her mom. Kagome smiled. "Thank you." They headed back home to celebrate. She walked by the shrine and thought about the day she came back.

The bone eaters well reappeared after being gone for three days. She was reunited with her family. She had turned to say thank you to Inuyasha only for him to disappear. After Inuyasha vanished and the well sealed, Kagome had fallen into a depression.

She had cried for weeks, missing Inuyasha so much that her heart would ache. For two years she jumped in the well every day, hoping that she could cross over one last time. She would have given up everything for him.

She didn't care what school she got into. She just wanted to go back to his era and be with him. She was ready to say goodbye to all she knew to be with him. But alas three years had passed since then.

She wanted nothing more than to return to him. She missed him so much. She thought about how funny and cute it would have been to see Inuyasha walk her to school and annoy her while she was trying to do homework. That sounded like such a cute dream.

She never wanted to give up the possibility of ever seeing him again. She just wanted to see him just for a moment. Just long that she could tell him that she loved him so much. Kagome walked to her bedroom and she sat on her bed. She allowed herself to cry, missing Inuyasha.

…

"I remember bringing Kagome back to her era, feeling so relieved. She was alive. She was safe. And then the next thing I knew I was back here. I had vanished from her time. I remember that her whole family was crying when she came back."

"When I saw that, I realized that I wasn't the only one that loved Kagome and needed her. We had talked about what we were going to do before she vanished into the meido. We were going to continue to cross over and visit each other. I tried for so long to try and cross over and bring her back, but I realized I can't be selfish and do that. I am not the only one that holds Kagome dear."

Kaede looked at him in shock. "I'm speechless, Inuyasha. When did you become so caring and understanding?" Inuyasha glared at her. Shippo appeared and he and Inuyasha butted heads. Kaede looked at Inuyasha.

'It's a shame that they can never meet again. Kagome was cast into this world and she was cast from it with the jewel's destruction. Kagome's destiny was to come here and destroy the Shikon Jewel. Inuyasha, I am sorry that you can't see her again. But perhaps her job in our world has ended.'

….

Kagome walked down the familiar steps and looked down the well.

'Why? Why did the well stop working? Was it because of my feelings for Inuyasha? Did I cause it to close up? Or perhaps it's that my job in your world is done? I was sent there only to destroy the jewel. I am destined to spend the rest of my life here in this world, a world without you in it. Inuyasha, I want nothing more than to see you again. I want to be with you. I don't want to be in a world you are not.'

Kagome felt a breeze and she looked down and she gasped. She couldn't believe it. It was the sky. The well had opened again. "Kagome." she turned to her mother as she walked down the stairs.

Her mother looked down as well. She saw the sky. She knew what it meant. She looked at her daughter's face and she knew. She had to let Kagome go. This wasn't Kagome's life anymore. She wanted to be in the era with the man she loved.

She put her arms around Kagome. "Mom..I've been thinking…" She trailed off, looking at her mom. "Kagome, I understand." Kagome smiled and hugged her mother. "You go and be happy with the man you love."

Kagome looked at her mom with tears in her eyes. "I will miss you so much," she said, hugging her mom tight. "Thank you." She said, separating from her mom. She looked at the well and she jumped.

…

"Miroku if you don't do something about these twins I swear I am going to throw them." said Inuyasha annoyed. "Girls, not his ears. That hurts him." Miroku scolded the girls. Inuyasha's head snapped up. 'This scent!'

He picked the twins up and dropped them on Shippo. He raced to the well. He looked at the well with a bit of excitement. He held out his hand and someone took it. He pulled her out and there she was. He was face to face with Kagome.

"Inuyasha, I'm so sorry. Were you waiting for me?" she asked, tears filled her eyes. Inuyasha smiled and he pulled her into a hug. "You idiot, what have you been all this time?" he asked, burying his nose in her hair, taking in her scent that he was without for the last three years.

"Kagome, you're back!" yelled Sango. "It's been way too long, Kagome." said Miroku with a smile on his face. "Miroku, Sango, Shippo! It's good to see all of you." They looked at Inuyasha. He had the biggest smile on his face.

Kagome was here, and she was here to stay.

REWRITTEN FEBRUARY 2024